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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders season ticket holders share a love of baseball

Lottery Numbers for the Week of June 28.

<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">People walk past vendors at Kirby Park on Saturday afternoon. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_1.jpg</photo0><caption0>People walk past vendors at Kirby Park on Saturday afternoon. </caption0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Lyndsay Specht, 7, right, wins a prize at the Shark Tank as her sister Melanie, 4, and mom Beth watch at Kirby Park on Saturday afternoon. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Lyndsay Specht, 7, right, wins a prize at the Shark Tank as her sister Melanie, 4, and mom Beth watch at Kirby Park on Saturday afternoon. </caption1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Gianna Bruns, 3, of Nanticoke, tries her hand at balloon darts with the help of her dad Jeff. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_4.jpg</photo2><caption2>Gianna Bruns, 3, of Nanticoke, tries her hand at balloon darts with the help of her dad Jeff. </caption2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Alisia Avalos, left, and her son Daniel Rodriguez, 5, both of Wilkes-Barre, ride the Tornado at Kirby Park on Saturday afternoon. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_5.jpg</photo3><caption3>Alisia Avalos, left, and her son Daniel Rodriguez, 5, both of Wilkes-Barre, ride the Tornado at Kirby Park on Saturday afternoon. </caption3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_6.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Jason Neely of White Haven takes a bite of haluski as he walks down the midway at Kirby Park. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_6.jpg</photo4><caption4>Jason Neely of White Haven takes a bite of haluski as he walks down the midway at Kirby Park. </caption4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_7.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Eight-month-old Zoey Cilvik of Scranton enjoys her first swing ride at Kirby Park in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_7.jpg</photo5><caption5>Eight-month-old Zoey Cilvik of Scranton enjoys her first swing ride at Kirby Park in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </caption5></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_8.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Emilyn Yates, 2, of Dickson City, runs through a puddle wearing her red boots at Kirby Park. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo6>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070515FourthOfJuly_8.jpg</photo6><caption6>Emilyn Yates, 2, of Dickson City, runs through a puddle wearing her red boots at Kirby Park. </caption6></div></div>
<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; As Ella Mikhalkov looked out upon Saturday&#8217;s festivities at Kirby Park, a smile spread over her face and her eyes seemed to light up.</p><p>Mikhalkov, 3, was viewing the annual Independence Day celebration through raindrops, but the weather did not seem to diminish her excitement at arriving at a favorite event remembered from last year.</p><p>And although she would later view the fireworks from her family&#8217;s car, complete with earmuffs, she looked forward to the colors that would later light up the sky.</p><p>&#8220;I especially like the pink and purple ones,&#8221; she said smiling, bubbling with unconstrained enthusiasm as she held her mother&#8217;s hand.</p><p>Mother Jennifer Mikhalkov &#8212; holding 10-week-old Jacob &#8212; said the family looks forward to the event every year.</p><p>Both Ella and brother Matthew, 5, especially look forward to face painting and playing games as they make their way through the vendors appropriately clad in red, white and blue.</p><p>Liza Prokop, Wilkes-Barre special events coordinator, was not surprised that in spite of the weather residents made their way into the park for a bite to eat, to purchase a unique craft, to ride a ride or to simply enjoy a musical backdrop for a quiet walk.</p><p>&#8220;Its a rain-or-shine event,&#8221; said Prokop. &#8220;We were prepared in advance for any type of weather.&#8221;</p><p>Prokop said the event went far beyond an opportunity for gathering in the park to celebrate a summer holiday.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s an event that has continued for 35 years,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It has become a tradition, drawing thousands of people from all over the area.&#8221;</p><p>Ruth Casey, of Just Plain Crazy Face Art, lauded areas residents for not allowing the rain to dampen their enthusiasm for the celebration.</p><p>&#8220;Our glitter tattoos have been a favorite today,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Joe and Sarah Looker, visiting from Virginia with their son Micah, 7, came hungry and they were not disappointed.</p><p>The family shared apple chips drenched in caramel, a snack which they deemed both delicious and unique.</p><p>The family&#8217;s dog &#8220;Charlie,&#8221; a cocker spaniel, seemed unaffected by the rain as he enjoyed his walk through the park, although dogs were prohibited during fireworks.</p><p>Rachael Gerstein, of Hillside Farms, said the crowd was smaller than last year, but a steady stream of customers made their way through the festival throughout the day, with many headed for the ice cream truck.</p><p>Gerstein said the day&#8217;s favorite flavor was strawberry cheesecake.</p><p>Buddy Prusinski, manning Horrs&#8217; Hotdogs, said many attendees enjoyed chocolate-covered bacon.</p><p>Many youngsters made their way through the festival happily clinging to balloons or stuffed animals, resulting from success at games such as &#8220;balloon pops&#8221; or &#8220;shark tank.&#8221;</p><p>And although attendees certainly enjoyed the rides, the food, the games and the vendors, to many the day truly culminated when fireworks lit up the night sky.</p><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons</shirttailMeta></div>

Rain can’t stop Fourth of July celebration